skills development for peace and conflict management

Dr. Oyewole O. Sarumi

An experienced Leadership Coach

Marketing & Entrepreneurial teacher

Corporate & Institutional Advisory Expert

Expert Negotiator and ADR

Trainer and Conference Speaker

Introduction

The Principles of Skills Development

The Nature of Peace

The Nature of Conflict

How to Resolve Conflicts

Skills Required for Peace & Conflict Resolution

Conclusion

Peace is a pre-requisite for growth and development.

Both corporate and national actors need to be equipped well enough with requisite skills that helps create and maintain peace while reducing conflict situations.

This lecture seeks to help delegates understand skills to be cultivated in corporate and national settings to enhance peace, tranquillity and development.

Skill Development means developing yourself and your skill sets to add value for the organization and for your own career development.

Fostering an attitude of appreciation for lifelong learning is the key to workplace success.

Continuously learning and developing one's skills requires identifying the skills needed for mobilityand then successfully seeking out trainings or on-the-job opportunities for developing those skills.

Developing skills begins with assessing which skills are important for desired career development.

Speaking with supervisor or manager and other career mentors to identify the types of skills that will help move one forward in chosen career.

Most development should follow the 70-20-10 rule as depicted below:

70% of your development should come from on-the-job activities and action learning. ◦ This can include development experiences like managing

a project, serving on a cross-functional team, taking on a new task, job shadowing, job rotation, etc.

20% of your development should come from interactions with others. ◦ This includes having a mentor, being a mentor,

coaching, participating in communities of practice, serving as a leader in a staff organization, etc.

10% of your development should come from training, ◦ including classes, seminars, webinars, podcasts,

conferences, etc.

See the Chart below:

Once the skills needed to develop to achieve career goals has been identified, the next step is identifying how to develop these skills.

The two main avenues for developing skills are through the following:

◦ Education and training

◦ Developmental experiences

Company

Strategy/Vision

Skills Needed to

fulfil strategyDo needs

analysis/Skills Audits

of current staff

Design

Solutions

Implement Solutions

(Training/Coaching/Mentoring)

Workplace

Application

Assessment

(Performance

Management)

Education and training can enhance our professional life in a number of significant ways.

Completing increasingly advanced levels of education shows employers that we have a drive and commitment to learn and apply information, ideas, theories, and formulas to achieve a variety of tasks and goals.

If there’s need to acquire subject matter knowledge, education and training is often the most direct way to obtain it in a short amount of time.

Obtaining a particular degree or certification may be a requirement for applying for some jobs.

Educational requirements are a quick and easy way to narrow down a field of applicants, so if we are competing against others with more education, it could be wise decision to obtain the degree, certification, or training to be a competitive candidate.

Education and training can consist of any of the following:◦ Advanced Degrees

◦ Professional Certifications

◦ Computer Skills Training

◦ e-Learning

◦ Independent Reading

◦ Seminars and webinars through Professional Associations

◦ Workshops, Trainings, and Educational Coursework.

Constructive workplace learning is directed at shifting the individual from being merely competent to becoming proficient or expert (Dreyfus and Dreyfus).

While education and training are important to skill development, it is also known that only 10 percent of adult learning happens in the classroom, from books, tapes, or online learning activities. This is often because learning in these formats is more passive.

Most adult learning, a full 70 percent, happens by doing. Learning by doing can take place through on-the-job and leadership experiences.

Following are examples of on-the-job and leadership experiences that can help you develop a range of skills and competencies.

Take on a challenging “stretch” assignment. Some examples:◦ Fill in for your supervisor or manager when they are

on vacation◦ Manage a project from start to finish◦ Make a temporary lateral move to another part of

the organization◦ Help launch a new business, initiative, or program◦ Help turn around a struggling project◦ Develop a new product or service◦ Teach a process or course to your team or others◦ Run a team meeting or briefing session

Seek out critical feedback on how your performance might be improved, then implement a plan to improve your performance.

Represent your group at a cross-functional meeting on campus or serve as a liaison between groups on campus.

Offer to manage project budgets to develop financial and budgeting competencies.

Benchmark other teams that are known for high-performance and/or strong accountability, and create a plan to help your team meet or exceed expectations.

Solicit feedback from peers, direct reports, and key constituents regarding a project, departmental program or process that is under-performing. Propose several improvements.

Serve as a back-up contact when your supervisor is not available.

Take responsibility for writing or reporting on project deliverables.

Review your project budget and make recommendations for:◦ Cutting costs◦ Financial strategies that can maximize quality and

efficiency.

Serve as a mentor to other colleagues, supervisees, or staff members or help to onboard new colleagues.

Lead a project team/manage a group where team members are experts in areas that you are not.

Lead a project that requires innovation.

Lead a division- or campus-wide project or task force that will have campus policy implications.

Assume a divisional liaison role with Central HR on processes for:◦ Outreach and recruitment◦ Managing people issues

Chair a selection committee to fill a position. Speak at a meeting. Present at a conference. Run for a position in a professional

association on or off campus. Take on a leadership role in a social,

community, or volunteer organization.

The unique experiences that can help progress toward career development goals will be created by the individual but in conjunction with his/her supervisor or manager.

Learning how to communicate with supervisor that one is open to and desire development experiences is important to getting the opportunity to develop career skills.

Show openness by being receptive to new ideas and suggestions, by admitting to the need for improvement, and by actively seeking direct supervisor/manager's feedback.

Keep in mind that the end goal is career development, not the coaching process itself.

Even if it's difficult to hear constructive criticism in the short run, if it helps to create development experiences for, it will help your career development as a whole.

Take the initiative to look for ways that you can learn new skills through experiences that also help your supervisor/manager, team, unit, or department achieve its goals.

Set up meetings with your supervisor/manager to discuss your proposed development experiences and get buy-in for proceeding

Create a development plan with your supervisor/manager to track your progress.

As your development experience is progressing, update your plan to mark accomplishments and learning acquired.

Set up regular check-in meetings with your supervisor/manager.

Take time to review your development plan before meeting with your supervisor/manager for check-ins.

Send your supervisor/manager any major changes in advance before meeting.

Leave the meetings with an updated plan.

Review where your supervisor/manager can provide you the most help going forward.

Seek out feedback after a project’s completion to discuss the positive, negative, and key lessons learned, as well as to begin developing a new development experience.

Languages around the globe have different words that can mean different kinds of peace:

◦ Inner peace

◦ The absence of war

◦ Absence of social justice.

◦ Absence of hostility

The concept of peace in Friedrich's book intends to merge all those definitions: “The exercising of freedom. As long as such freedom do not impair the freedom of others.”

“Peace begins with a smile.” - Mother Teresa

Peace is a state of harmony characterized by: ◦ Lack of violence,

◦ No conflict behaviours

◦ Freedom from fear of violence.

“Peace is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of justice, of law, of order--in short, of government.” -Albert Einstein

Negative Peace Positive Peace

Negative peace is the absence of war.

A state reached through diplomacy and negotiations.

Positive peace is achieved through the promotion of fair social conditions.

It is more like a “peace building” than a restoration of peace.

Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests:◦ The existence of healthy relationship

◦ Newly healed interpersonal or international relationships,

◦ Prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare

◦ The establishment of equality

◦ A working political order that serves the true interests of all.

Peace is generally defined as a state of quiet or tranquility, as an absence of disturbance or agitation.

Peace at the minimum refers to absence of violence or war. Peace can be voluntary, where potential

agitators choose to abstain from disturbance.

Peace can also be enforced, by suppressing those who might otherwise cause such disturbance.

• Peace definitions or concepts are the basis on which we decide how to make peace.

• For example, if I define peace as not war, then I would attempt to make peace by attempting to eliminate war or at least mitigate its severity.

• On the other hand, if I defined peace as inner harmony, I would meditate as much as possible in order to make peace.

• The point is that concepts or definitions of peace are the basis for peacemaking. What one does to achieve peace depends on how one images, defines, or conceptualizes peace.

P E A C EJUSTICE SOCIAL EQUITY TOLERANCE ACCOUNTABLE

GOVERNANCEKAAYUSAN

HUMAN RIGHTS GENDER EQUALITY POLITICAL RECONCILIATION

SOLIDARITY PARTICIPATION

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

INNER PEACEWELL BEING

PEACE PAGTUTULUNGAN COMPASSION

HUMAN SECURITY PAGMAMALASAKIT PAGKAKAUNAWAAN PANANAGUTAN SA KAPWA

NON VIOLENCE

DEMOCRACY RESPECT FOR LIFE KALAYAAN KAGINHAWAHAN INCLUSION

As defined by the United Nations, the Culture of

Peace is a set of values, attitudes, modes of behavior

and ways of life that reject violence and prevent

conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve

problems through dialogue and negotiation among

individuals, groups and nations

“Since wars begin in the minds

of men (and women), it is in the

minds of men (and women)

that defenses of peace must be

constructed”

-Constitution of UNESCO, 1945

Conflict, or more is a fact of life, and particularly of nations, organisations and individual.

It often emerges more when people are stressed, for example, when there are changes on the horizon, or when everyone is under pressure because of a looming deadline.

However, conflict can also arise in relationships and situations outside work.

http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/conflict-resolution.html#ixzz4Rxj0BV1n

Handling conflict in ways that lead to increased stress can be detrimental to your health.

Poor conflict management among individuals can lead to higher production of the stress hormone cortisol, and also cause hardening of the arteries, leading to increased risk of heart attacks, and high blood pressure.

Among nations, wrong conflict handling can lead to loss of resources, displacement, hostility, war and even death.

Learning to deal with conflict in a positive and constructive way, without excessive stress, is therefore an important way to improve well-being as well as relationships.

Conflictoccurs in situations in which: (1) there is an expressed struggle

(2) the people are interdependent,

(3) they seek different goals or they favor different means to the same ends; and/or

(4) the people perceive the other is interfering with their pursuit of scarce rewards or resources.” Difference exists in the desires, thoughts, attitudes, feelings, or behaviors…”

There are recognized opposing interests between parties in a zero-sum situation;

There must be a belief by each side that the other one is or will act against them;

This belief is likely to be justified by actions taken;

Conflict is a process, having developed from their past interactions;

“An expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and interference from the other party in achieving their goals”.

For a disagreement to become a conflict, there needs to be:◦ Some element of communication: a shared understanding that there is a

disagreement;

◦ The well-being of the people involved need to depend on each other in some way. This doesn’t mean that they have to have equal power: a manager and subordinate can be equally as interdependent as a married couple;

◦ The people involved perceive that their goals are incompatible, meaning that they cannot both be met;

◦ They are competing for resources; and

◦ Each perceives the other as interfering with the achievement of their goals.

Money/wealth

Land

Power

Religion

Revenge

To Conquer

Expressed struggle

Interdependence

Perceived Incompatible Goals

Perceived Scarce Resources

Interference

GLOBAL/PLANETARY

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

REGIONAL

FAMILY COMMUNITY

WORK PLACESCHOOL

INTRA PERSONAL

LEVELS AND DIMENSIONS OF CONFLICTS

1. Conflict is natural. It is inevitable. Avoid turning conflict into destructive conflict.

2. Great changes are caused by conflict. Without conflict, personal growth and social change would not occur.

3. Conflict can be seen as a gift of energy that moves people to act.

4. Conflict is not the problem, it's what you do with it that makes a difference.

5. Conflict is not for winning. The goal of conflict is not to subdue the other. It is for learning, growing, and cooperating.

6. When conflict is understood, it becomes an opportunity to learn and create.

7. When conflict is perceived as a positive life force, those in conflict learn to control their own lives in ways that also respect others.

Conflicts can be classified as constructive or destructive based on the process used in managing them and the outcomes of the conflict.

Conflict can be destructive, leading people to develop negative feelings for each other and spend energy on conflict that could be better spent elsewhere.

It can also deepen differences, and lead groups to polarise into either/or positions.

Well-managed conflict can be constructive, helping to ‘clear the air’, releasing emotion and stress, and resolving tension, especially if those involved use it as an opportunity to increase understanding and find a way forward together out of the conflict situation.

The management of conflict is constructive if it is defined as:

“our” problem.a win-win situation in which both parties gain.

The management of conflict is destructive if it is defined as:

“your” problem.a win-lose situation in which one person gains and

the other loses.

Conflicts are constructivewhen participants:

feel understood and accepted.are committed to and satisfied with the solution.

Conflicts are destructive when participants:

feel misunderstood and rejected.are not committed to nor satisfied with the solution.

Constructive Destructive

“our” problem “your” problem

win-win win-lose

feel understood and

accepted

feel misunderstood and

rejected

are committed to and

satisfied with the

solution

are not committed to

nor satisfied with the

solution

DESTRUCTIVE

CONFLICT

CONSTRUCTIVE

CONFLICT

Diverts energy from real task

Destroys morale Polarizes individuals

and groups Deepens differences Obstructs cooperative

action Produces irresponsible

behavior and creates suspicion and distrust

Opens up an issue in a confronting manner and develops clarification of an issue

Improves problem-solving quality

Increases involvement Provides more

spontaneity in communication

Initiates growth Strengthens a

relationship when creatively resolved

1. Communication failure 2. Personality conflict3. Value differences4. Goal differences5. Methodological differences6. Substandard performance

1. Lack of cooperation2. Differences regarding authority3. Differences regarding

responsibility4. Competition over resources5. Non-compliance with rules

Major Causes of Armed Conflicts in Nigeria Today

• Massive poverty and economic inequity

• Huge Unemployment

• Infrastructural deficit and weal institutions

• Too much power at the centre

• Political inequity, selfish leadership

• Injustice, abuse of power by leaders

• Poor governance

• Exploitation and marginalization of indigenous cultural

communities

There are three types of conflict, Personal or relational conflicts, instrumental conflicts and conflicts of interest:◦ Personal or relational conflicts

◦ Instrumental conflicts

◦ Conflicts of interest

Before you can resolve a conflict, or even decide on a strategy for resolving it, you need to identify its source and therefore its type.

It’s important to emphasise that dealing with conflict early is usually easier, because positions are not so entrenched, others are less likely to have started to take sides, and the negative emotions are not so extreme.

The best way to address a conflict in its early stages is through negotiation between the participants.

Those in conflict are likely to need the support of mediation, or even arbitration or a court judgement, so it’s much better to resolve things early.

There are five main strategies for dealing with conflicts, all of which can be considered in terms of who wins and who loses:◦ 1) Compete or Fight

◦ 2) Collaboration

◦ 3) Compromise or Negotiation

◦ 4) Denial or Avoidance

◦ 5) Smoothing Over the Problem

This is the classic win/lose situation, where the strength and power of one person wins the conflict.◦ It has its place, but anyone using it needs to be

aware that it will create a loser and if that loser has no outlet for expressing their concerns, then it will lead to bad feeling.

This is the ideal outcome: a win/win situation.◦ It requires input of time from those involved to

work through the difficulties, and find a way to solve the problem that is agreeable to all.

This is likely to result in a better result than win/lose, but it’s not quite win/win.◦ Both parties give up something, in favour of an agreed

mid-point solution.

◦ It takes less time than collaboration, but is likely to result in less commitment to the outcome.

This is where everyone pretends there is no problem.◦ It’s helpful if those in conflict need time to ‘cool

down’ before any discussion or if the conflict is unimportant, but cannot be used if the conflict won’t just die down.

◦ It will create a lose/lose situation, since there will still be bad feeling, but no clearing the air through discussion, and results, in Transactional Analysis terms, in ‘I’m not OK, you’re not OK’.

On the surface, harmony is maintained, but underneath, there is still conflict.◦ It’s similar to the situation above, except that one

person is probably OK with this smoothing, while the other remains in conflict, creating a win/lose situation again.

◦ It can work where preserving a relationship is more important than dealing with the conflict right now, but is not useful if others feel the need to deal with the situation.

There are a wide range of useful skills for handling conflict.

The most important is assertiveness. You need to be able to express your views clearly and firmly, but without aggression. One model to use is:◦ ‘Describe the situation,

◦ Express your feelings and

◦ Specify what you want done’.

Effective communication is not merely about exchanging information between you and your audience.

It is about making what you want to say, what you actually say and what your audience interprets, consistent.

Improving your communication skills can make a world of a difference in your relationships with others and help you achieve your personal goals in life.

We are social beings, and improving the way we relate to others can only benefit us.

….is to create a common perception that is received in a positive manner, so that you can together agree on a further action or decision…even if that just means that the other person will allow you to continue speaking!

A note for caution: “common perception” does not necessarily mean “agreement on subject”.

All parties involved in the communication can agree to disagree and that could still be categorized as “effective”.

You also need to practise active listening, to ensure that you fully understand the position of those involved in the conflict, whether you are an active participant, or a potential mediator.

'Active listening' means, as its name suggests, actively listening. That is fully concentrating on what is being said rather than just passively ‘hearing’ the message of the speaker.

Active listening involves listening with all senses. As well as giving full attention to the speaker, it is important that the ‘active listener’ is also ‘seen’ to be listening -otherwise the speaker may conclude that what they are talking about is uninteresting to the listener.

It’s also helpful to understand and recognise emotion in both yourself and others.

Emotions are never good or bad, but simply appropriate or inappropriate, and it’s useful in managing conflict to help others recognise when emotions are inappropriate, and when it’s fine to express them.

You will also find it helpful to be able to put yourself in other people’s shoes, and support those involved to do the same. This skill is called Empathy.

Empathy is, at its simplest, awareness of the feelings and emotions of other people.

It is a key element of Emotional Intelligence, the link between self and others, because it is how we as individuals understand what others are experiencing as if we were feeling it ourselves.

Daniel Goleman identified five key elements of empathy.◦ Understanding Others◦ Developing Others◦ Having a Service Orientation◦ Leveraging Diversity◦ Political Awareness

Empathy goes far beyond sympathy, which might be considered ‘feeling for’ someone. Empathy, instead, is ‘feeling with’ that person, through the use of imagination.

Negotiation is a method by which people settle differences. It is a process by which compromise or agreement is reached while avoiding argument and dispute.

In any disagreement, individuals understandably aim to achieve the best possible outcome for their position (or perhaps an organisation they represent). However, the principles of fairness, seeking mutual benefit and maintaining a relationship are the keys to a successful outcome.

Specific forms of negotiation are used in many situations: international affairs, the legal system, government, industrial disputes or domestic relationships as examples.

General negotiation skills can be learned and applied in a wide range of activities.

Negotiation skills can be of great benefit in resolving any differences that arise between you and others.

It is inevitable that, from time-to-time, conflict and disagreement will arise as the differing needs, wants, aims and beliefs of people are brought together.

Without negotiation, such conflicts may lead to argument and resentment resulting in one or all of the parties feeling dissatisfied.

The point of negotiation is to try to reach agreements without causing future barriers to communications.

In order to achieve a desirable outcome, it may be useful to follow a structured approach to negotiation. For example, in a work situation a meeting may need to be arranged in which all parties involved can come together.

The process of negotiation includes the following stages:◦ Preparation◦ Discussion◦ Clarification of goals◦ Negotiate towards a Win-Win outcome◦ Agreement◦ Implementation of a course of action

Mediation simply refers to the process of resolving conflict in which a third party neutral (mediator), assist the disputants to resolve their own conflict.

The process is voluntary and the mediator does not participate in the outcome of the mediation process (agreement).

The disputing parties themselves have control over the agreements to be reached.

There are indeed so many advantages in using mediation as conflict resolution mechanism;◦ The process is non-adversarial,

◦ Less-expensive

◦ Assures confidentiality, impartiality and neutrality

◦ Is non-legalistic

◦ Avoids delays

◦ And very flexible

Besides, the process provides the disputants the opportunity to find solutions to their own conflicts.

The process therefore ensures acceptance of the outcome by both parties, thereby enhancing sustainable peace.

There are 6 steps to a formal mediation; ◦ 1) introductory remarks,

◦ 2) statement of the problem by the parties,

◦ 3) information gathering time,

◦ 4) identification of the problems,

◦ 5) bargaining and generating options, and

◦ 6) reaching an agreement.

At its core, arbitration is a form of dispute resolution. Arbitration is the private, judicial determination of a dispute, by an independent third party.

An arbitration hearing may involve the use of an individual arbitrator or a tribunal.

A tribunal may consist of any number of arbitrators though some legal systems insist on an odd number for obvious reasons of wishing to avoid a tie.

One and three are the most common numbers of arbitrators. The disputing parties hand over their power to decide the dispute to the arbitrator(s).

Arbitration is an alternative to court action (litigation), and generally, just as final and binding (unlike mediation, negotiation and conciliation which are non-binding).

1. Pursuit of social, economic, and political reforms aimed at addressing the root causes of armed struggle and social unrest.

2. Consensus building and empowerment for peace through continuous consultation at the national and local levels.

3. Peace negotiations with armed groups.

4. Implementing measures for reconciliation, reintegration of former combatants and rehabilitation of those affected by the conflict.

5. Management and protection of civilians.

6. Build, nurture and enhance a positive climate for peace.

THE SIX PATHS TO PEACE

Wealth without Work

Pleasure without Conscience

Knowledge without Character

Commerce without Morality

Science without Humanity

Worship without Sacrifice

Politics without Principle

MAHATMA GANDHI

“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”― Mahatma Gandhi